Becker moved to New York City as a young man in 1890 and went to work as a bouncer in a German beer hall just off the Bowery.

In the fall of 1896, Becker gained wide attention when he arrested Ruby Young (alias Dora Clark) on Broadway because the known prostitute was in the company of popular writer Stephen Crane, the author of The Red Badge of Courage.

Crane's popularity carried weight in court at the sentencing of Young, and Magistrate Robert C. Cornell dismissed the case.

Feeling vulnerable, Becker gathered evidence, hired experienced defense counsel Louis Grant, and rallied the support of his colleagues.

The inspector had earned enmity among patrolmen for giving detailed testimony to the 1894 Lexow Committee investigating police corruption in New York.

Becker allegedly used his position to extort substantial sums, later shown to total in excess of $100,000, from Manhattan brothels and illegal gambling casinos in exchange for immunity from police interference.

[1] In July 1912, Becker was reported by the New York World as one of three senior police officials involved in extorting money from Rosenthal's casinos.

[1] The day that Rosenthal was due to testify to a grand jury, he was murdered at 2 a.m. as he left the Hotel Metropole at 147 West 43rd Street, just off Times Square.

Amid a major public outcry following the murder and extensive press coverage, Becker was transferred to the Bronx and assigned to desk duty.

[2] The verdict was overturned on appeal on the grounds that Goff had been biased and that there was no independent corroborating witness to testify to the events since all of them had been involved in the crimes.

"[citation needed] Jack Rose had served as a prosecution witness, as did Harry Vallon, Sam Schepps and Bridgey Webber.

They were underworld criminal figures who were believed to be involved in the crime but were promised immunity by the district attorney's office in exchange for testifying against Becker.

[1] However, for Whitman, gaining a guilty verdict for Becker in the sensational murder case would help his own political aspirations, and he is thought to have been elected as governor largely based on his success in that goal.

[6] In addition, the reporter Herbert Bayard Swope publicized the case mercilessly in the press, representing the power of the New York World.

[2] Lastly, as noted above, Judge John Goff showed his bias and played a major role in gaining a guilty verdict from the jury.

[2] New York police historian Thomas A. Reppetto believes that Becker was guilty because of the testimony of people involved but also he had a strong motive and had shown reckless behavior.